The Black Starlets' nationwide talent identification programme continues on Friday as coach Kassim Ocansey Mingle and his technical team head to the Upper East Region in search of the next generation of players for Ghana's U-17 national team.

The scouting exercise will take place at the Kurt E.S. Okraku Technical Center in Winkongo, near Bolgatanga, the Upper East Regional capital, with activities scheduled to begin at 9:00 a.m.

Young footballers from across the region will have the opportunity to showcase their abilities through a series of matches designed to allow the technical team to assess their technical quality, tactical understanding, physical attributes and overall potential. The exercise forms part of preparations for the 2026 WAFU Zone B U-17 Championship and future international competitions.

Coach Mingle and his assistants will be focusing their attention on players born between 2010 and 2011 as they seek to identify outstanding talents capable of participating in the 2027 WAFU Zone B U17 Championship, the 2027 U17 AFCON and the 2027 U17 World Cup.

Players who impress during the regional screening exercise will earn invitations to the next stage of the programme, which will be held at the Ghanaman Soccer Centre of Excellence in Prampram. There, the selected players will undergo further assessment as the technical team works towards assembling a competitive Black Starlets squad.

The Upper East Region exercise follows a successful opening scouting session in the Upper West Region and forms part of a nationwide talent hunt aimed at ensuring that talented young footballers from every corner of the country are given the opportunity to represent Ghana at the youth level.

The new scouting structure is designed to provide national team coaches with sufficient time to identify and develop talent, creating a strong pipeline of players for the Black Starlets and strengthening Ghana's prospects in future continental and global competitions.

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